Joining the Military?

[Daishi]

I've been considering the Air Force, Marines, or Navy, with the ultimate goal of being a pilot. It's a tough decision to consider, given the commitment, effort, and risk involved versus the awesomeness of the payoff and the opportunities it would give me on down the line.

If you're doing it to be a pilot, the army (wtf?) is actually where you ought to go. (unless you're into jets, in which case go navy) The thing is, there's only a few pilot spots in the air force per-capita. Also, if you look at other armed-forces drop-out rates for their air programs, the army has the lowest ones. Plus, you get to do badass helicopters.

[Rob Oplawar]

I'm interested in jets, mostly. One more year and I'll have a college degree, and I am (or was at the beginning of the summer) in pretty good shape, I'm a reasonably intelligent guy, and I can be extremely devoted to something I think is worthwhile. If I joined the Navy or the Marines I think I might stand a good chance of flying jets within a few years. Is it worth it? That's what I've been trying to figure out.

Man, there's nothing I would love to have more than a badge that says I can fly a fighter jet. Well, except maybe a girlfriend. D:

[rossmum]

Already have. Don't regret my decision at all.

Honestly, I might join the reserves at some point in the future (like 5 years) as a part-time but probably not.
It's not an impossibility though.

Move down here bro, come join 2/17 RNSWR so we can be an awesome team

ah. ok. So I went on the CG website today and looked up all the possible jobs...the first one I really noticed was RH60 Turret Operator...Apparently using the M2 .50 Caliber MG on each side of the RH60 is a specific MOS.

Surely there's SOMETHING involved other than that? Seems a little silly to get that specific...

[Daishi]

Surely there's SOMETHING involved other than that? Seems a little silly to get that specific...

Nope. That is the only thing it specifies. Aside from the standard "pass basic training, be able to perform first aid" stuff, the entire job is to man the fifties on the 'hawks.

[Rob Oplawar]

The main reason I'm so hesitant to join is because my best friend joined the Air Force, did astoundingly well on all his tests, was promised a job giving pilots survival training (for when they're shot down over enemy lines), and now operates a turret in an MRAP. They'll tell you whatever you want to hear, but you're still gonna end up doing whatever they need at the time, and the US doesn't really need pilots at the moment as far as I know.

[Ganon]

I'd rather be a secret agent

[Dwood]

Man, there's nothing I would love to have more than a badge that says I can fly a fighter jet. Well, except maybe a girlfriend. D:

Girlfriends come with the territory.

[Rorschach]

Already enlisted.

[Limited]

In terms of the army? No, never. Why? Because I actually have some intelligence, the army is for brain dumb idiots that cant get a job, maybe not for your country but for UK it is. "Oh damn I just failed all my tests, oh well I'll join the army!"

I used to really want to be a jet fighter pilot, apart from that I'm not a fan of strict daily routines.

[rossmum]

I really love how civvies assume the infantry are all dumb grunts, showing their own stupidity in the process.

You realise that to be an even halfway decent soldier you have to be pretty fucking smart, right? If you cock up reading off coords while calling in artillery, you're not going to put production out for a few days or piss some customers off. You're going to blow yourselves, your mates, or a bunch of innocent civilians to confetti.

Consider talking to some soldiers before you rag on them. The British Army isn't one of the most feared in the world for nothing.